Ontario raising speed limits on dozens of highway sections starting this week

Ontario drivers will soon be travelling faster on major stretches of the province’s 400‑series highways, as the Ford government moves ahead with a sweeping expansion of 110 km/h speed limits—a change that will roll out in phases from June through September 2026.

Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria confirmed Wednesday that the province will permanently raise speed limits on more than 900 kilometres of highways, beginning June 26, with additional increases scheduled through the summer.

The move builds on earlier expansions in 2022 and 2024, which followed a multi‑year pilot project showing select highways could safely accommodate higher speeds.

The first changes will take effect this Friday (June 26) on portions of Highways 401 and 416 in Eastern Ontario.

“Under the leadership of Premier [Doug] Ford, our government is helping get drivers where they’re going faster and safely,” said Sarkaria via a press release. “We’re going to keep supporting commuters, workers and businesses by investing in our $31 billion plan to build and expand roads and highways, so we can get people and goods moving across Ontario and keep workers on the job.”

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More highways to follow through summer 2026

The province will then expand 110 km/h limits across dozens of additional corridors on July 31, Aug. 21, Aug. 31, and Sept. 30.

July 31, 2026

• Hwy. 402 from Hwy. 401 to White Oak Drive
• Hwy. 402 from Waterworks to 350 metres east of Colborne Drive

Aug. 21, 2026

• Hwy. 7 from Appleton Side Road/County Road 17 to Hwy. 417
• Hwy. 115 from Hwy. 35 to Parkway Interchange
• Hwy. 400 from Hwy. 401 to Lake Joseph Road
• Hwy. 416 from 1.5 km south of Hwy. 416/417 to Fallowfield Road/County Road 12
• Hwy. 417 from Leitrim Road to Ottawa Regional Road 174
• Hwy. 417 from Hwy. 416/417 Interchange to Hwy. 7

Aug. 31, 2026

• Hwy. 401 from Merlin Road to Hwy. 427
• Hwy. 401 from Highway 404 to Hwy. 35/115
• Hwy. 401 from Cobourg to Colborne
• Hwy. 401 from Sidney Street to CNR Overhead Bridge in Belleville
• Hwy. 401 from County Road 38 to Hwy. 15
• Hwy. 403 from Hwy. 401 to Middletown Line

Sept. 30, 2026

• Hwy. 403 from QEW to Hwy. 401
• Hwy. 404 from Hwy. 401 to Mulock Drive
• Hwy. 406 from Westchester Avenue to Hwy. 58
• Hwy. 407 from Brock Road to Hwy. 35/115
• Hwy. 412 from Hwy. 401 to Hwy. 407
• Hwy. 418 from Hwy. 401 to Hwy. 407
• QEW from Freeman Interchange to Hwy. 403
• QEW from Concession Road to McLeod Road
• QEW from Mountain Road to Jordan Road

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Sarkaria has repeatedly argued that the increases are “evidence‑based” and bring Ontario in line with other provinces such as Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia, where 110 km/h is standard.

Ontario first tested higher limits in 2019 on three highway segments, then expanded the program in 2022 and again in 2024. Those expansions covered roughly 860 kilometres — about 36 per cent of the network — and included stretches of the QEW, Hwy. 402, Hwy. 417, and Hwy. 404.